Ögii Lake

Ögii Lake (Ögii Nuur) is a freshwater lake of about 25.7 km² at 1,337 m in the Orkhon valley of eastern Arkhangai, 7.9 km long and 5.3 km wide. Almost half of it is less than 3 m deep, but it reaches 15.3 m at its deepest point. The Khögshin Orkhon river flows in from the west and the Khooloin Gol drains it. The lake has been a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1998.

Wetland and wildlife

The lake sits on a broad alluvial plain. Wet grassland follows the river valleys, small pools and marshes lie along the western side, and the rest of the shore is grassland and mountain steppe. Ögii is a breeding and staging site for waterbirds, and holds internationally important numbers of whooper swan, swan goose, bar-headed goose, ruddy shelduck, common goldeneye and common crane. Threatened species recorded here include Dalmatian pelican, white-naped and hooded cranes, Pallas's fish eagle and great bustard. On land, look for Siberian marmots and foxes; wolves and Pallas's cats are present but rarely seen.

Fish and seasons

Fish are plentiful, and the lake system holds taimen and Mongolian grayling, both nationally threatened. Taimen are protected, so release any you catch. A small commercial fishery works through the ice in winter. For birds, the best times are the spring migration in April and May and the autumn passage in September and early October. Summer is green and busier with visitors, and mosquitoes can be troublesome near the marshes on calm evenings.

Caring for the shore

Overgrazing, poorly managed tourism and steppe fires are the main pressures on the lake. Keep vehicles on existing tracks and off the soft shoreline, give nesting birds a wide berth in May and June, use camp toilets or bury waste well away from the water, and take your rubbish with you.